Camden Fairview comes back for first state title

— Coach Buck James told his team at halftime, they could win the Class 5A state title game.

He was right. Exactly right.

Trailing 10-0 at the halftime, Camden Fairview rattled off four unanswered touchdowns for the first state title in school history in a 28-10 victory over Batesville, the precise score James said he told his team they could win by in the locker room.

The title is the first in school history for Camden Fairview (14-0).

The Pioneers (10-4) held an early lead thanks to their defense, with a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jacob Hardin to receiver Jared May in the first quarter and a Ocevaldo Eepericuetta 47-yard field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter being the only scoring of the first half.

The Cardinals came out with big plays in the third quarter. Erasing the deficit with 77-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Ollison to Braxton Hoof on the second play of the quarter. With 1:18 left in the quarter, Jamie Smith one-handed an Ollison pass inside the five-yard line and tip-toed the sideline to sneak in for the go-ahead score.

The Cardinals would add two more touchdowns for the final margin. Ollison was named the games most valuable player.

Read more about this game in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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